Now, though, staph is bringing down the strongest and healthiest among us — athletes — many of whom were nowhere near a hospital when they became infected. High-profile names in every sport have been put on the shelf: former MLB slugger Sammy Sosa, White Sox outfielder Álex Riós, Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay, Rockets forward Shane Battier, Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin. Ex-middleweight champ Kelly Pavlik nearly died from an infected cut on a knuckle. Staph has killed high school and college football players — including Ricky Lannetti, a record-setting Division III wideout — and ended the careers of pros such as Redskins defensive lineman Brandon Noble and Browns wide receiver Joe Jurevicius and All-Pro center LeCharles Bentley.

Problems arise because staph, and its killer cousin MRSA, are resistant to many common anti-biotics. No one will confirm that Gronkowski is battling a staph infection, but the fact that drugs weren't enough and doctors had to physically clean out his wound is troubling. If there's anything on Gronkowski's side, though, it's time. His original prognosis was for rehab lasting 4-6 weeks. Even if he has to restart the clock, he should be good to go in time for training camp—barring any more setbacks.